Brush making machines



Nov. 27-, 1962 R. HfR. PARKER BRUSH MAKING MACHINES 4 Sheets-sheaf 1 Filed April 11, 1960 INVENTOR RHR. PARKER ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1962 Filed April 11, 1960 R. H. R. PARKER BRUSH MAKING MACHINES 4 Sheeis-Sheet 2 R.H. P\. PARKE'R BY ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1962 R. H. R. PARKER 3,065,469

BRUSH MAKING MACHINES Filed April 11, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet s |NVENTOR ATTOR NEY R. H. R. PARKER BRUSH MAKING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR R.\-\.R.PHRKER B LLJZMLQ. WM

ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1962 Filed April 11, 1960 United States Patent ()fifice 3,065,469 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 aessasa BRUSH MAKING MACES Russell Henry Richard Parker, Portehester, England, assignor to J. Evans dz Son (Portsmouth) Limited, Portsmouth, England Filed Apr. 11, 196i), Ser. No. 21,177 Claims priority, application Great Britain Apr. 10, 1959 6 Claims. (Cl. 1-2) This invention relates to tuft inserting apparatus for brush making machines of the kind where a reciprocating driver is provided adapted on its forward stroke to feed a staple and tuft of bristles to a brush stock and drive in the staple to anchor the tuft in a hole in the brush stock.

According to the present invention the tuft inserting apparatus includes grippers for receiving a strip of wire to form a staple, means operative, when the driver blade is in its rearward position, to actuate the grippers to grip a strip of wire and position it so as to extend transversely of the path of movement of the driver blade, and moving the grippers rearwardly to draw the wire strip against laterally spaced abutments to form a staple in the guideway along which the driver blade reciprocates so as to be positioned to be fed to the brush stock by the, driver blade on its next forward tuft inserting stroke.

To enable the invention to be fully understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of tuft inserting apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention, the tool slide being shown in its retracted or rearward position;

FIG. 1a is a fragmentary view illustrating the connection of the rod 25 to the plate 22;

FIGURE 52 is a fragmentary view showing the tool slide in partly retracted position;

FIG. 2a is a fragmentary view illustrating the relative position of the bush and cutter;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View, taken on line A-A of FIGURE 1;

FIG. 3a is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale illustrating the slot 8 and how the staple is retained;

FIGURE 4 is a side view, partly in section, of a moditied form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4 showing the means for feeding tufts of bristles;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side view thereof showing the tool slide in partly retracted position with the grippers positioned in alignment with the guideway of the driver; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on line 8-1? of FIG- URE 4.

As shown in FIGURES l to 311 of the accompanying drawings a body member I is formed with an axial slot or passage 2 in which a staple driver 3 is reciprocably mounted, the driver being held in a clamp 4 connected to a lever 5 pivoted at 5:1. The lower end of the lever 5 is pivoted to one end of a link 51) whose opposite end is pivoted at 5c to a rotating cam 28.

At its forward end the body It has two pairs of side plates 6, '7 the plates 6 defining a slot or opening 3 aligned with the passage 2, the forward ends of the plates 6 forming abutments against which a strip of wire is adapted to be bent to form a staple.

A tool slide a is slidably mounted on the forward end of the body 1 and carries guide means comprising superposed cheek plates 1h-11 the inner opposed surfaces of which define a channel through which a tuft of bristles and a staple are adapted to be fed by the driver.

The slide 9 is reciprocated by a rod 15 having one end pivoted to a lug 15a on the slide and the other end pivoted to a lever 15b adapted to be rocked about its pivot 15c by a rotary cam 15d engaging a roller 15s on the lever 15b. The lever is urged towards the cam by a springing 15 The slide has a bracket 16 pivotably mounted at 17, the bracket supporting wire grippers comprising a jaw 18 fixed on the bracket 16 and a jaw 19' pivoted on the bracket and normally urged by a spring 2t towards the jaw 18 to grip a strip of wire a. The bracket 16 carries a roller 21 in rolling engagement with a plate 22 hingedly mounted at 23 (FIG. la) on the body 1, the bracket being urged into a position, wherein the roller engages the plate, by a leaf spring 24.

The hinged plate 22 is pivotally connected at 25a with a rod 25 attached to a lever 26 carrying a roller 27 engaging a cam 28. The roller is held against the cam by a spring 26a connected with the lever.

In operation the tool slide and staple driver are reciprocated by levers 15b and 5 respectively in timed sequence to form a staple and drive it into a brush stock to secure a tuft of bristles.

In FIGURE 1 the tool slide and staple driver are shown in the rearward position and it will be noted that the pivoted jaw 11% has engaged at stop 29 and has been pivoted away from the fixed jaw 18 to permit the end of a length of a wire a to be fed through a bush 30 between the jaws. It will also be noted that the plate 22 is at its uppermost position and the bracket 16 is accordingly also in its upper position such that the gripper jaws are disposed above the staple forming plates 6, and above the path of travel or" the driver and adjacent the bush 3%} through which the wire to form the staples is fed from a supply reel (not shown).

As the slide 9 is moved forwardly the jaw 19 leaves the stop 29 and the jaw is moved by its spring 20 to grip the inserted wire.

The slide carries a knife 9a (FIGS. 2a and 3) which, as the slide moves forwardly passes across the delivery end of the bush 3i? and shears off a length of wire.

The slide is fed to the end of its forward stroke and the staple driver is reciprocated forwardly but in the initial setting up of the machine no staple will have been prepared and the driver 3 therefore makes an idle stroke.

The tool slide 9 and driver 3 are now moved rearwardly and during this movement, the rod 25 is drawn downwardly by the action of the cam 28 and the bracket 16 is caused to assume its lower position indicated in FIGURE 2 wherein the wire a is positioned so as toextend transversely of the slot 8. During the last part of the rearward movement the jaws 18, 19 pass into the slot 8 and the opposed ends of the wire strip which project laterally of the jaws are drawn against the edges of the plates 6 with the result that the wire will be bent into U-shape to form a staple. By reason of its longer stroke and timed operation, the staple driver will have been withdrawn clear of the gap between the plates 6 and 10 and 11 at this point of the operation.

As shown in FIG. 3a, the slot 8 has recesses 8a into which the legs of the U-shaped staple extend when the staple is formed.

At the end of the rearward stroke of the tool slide the cam 28 allows the rod 25 to rise and the bracket 16 as.- sumes its upper position, the jaws 18, 19, now being separated by the stop 2?, are carried upwardly with the bracket 16, leaving the formed staple in the slot 8 at the forward end of the passage 2 in the path of movement of the staple driver 3 where it is retained by its legs being located in the recesses do.

When the tool slide and staple driver make the next forward stroke, the latter will engage the formed staple and feed it forwardly, picking up a tuft of bristles fed to the gap between the rear end of the tool slide and the forward end of the plates 6, and drive the staple and tuft through the channel between the plates It 11 of the tool slide 9 so that the tuft will be inserted into the brush stock. The tool slide remains stationary for a short period of time before the driver blade starts its next forward stroke and during this period a fresh strip of wire is fed between the open jaws for forming the next staple.

It will be understood that the tuft of bristles is fed from a magazine by a picker of known kind, for example as illustrated in FIG. 5. The tuft is fed into the said gap in line with the slot 8 in which the formed staple is located.

The cycle of operations is repeated so that for each complete reciprocation of the tool and driver, .a tuft of bristles will be anchor-ed in the brush stock and a staple formed and positioned ready for the next tuft to be anchored.

An important advantage of the invention is that the feeding of the wire and forming and feeding of the staple is visible and any irregularities can be observed and the necessary action taken; further it is easier to make adjustments for different lengths of wire. For example if it is desired to form staples from a relatively long length of wire, the bush "3%) is moved laterally outwards (to the left in FIG. 3) so that the outlet end is spaced further from the wire gripping jaws. The knife 9a is also moved to lie adjacent the new position of the outlet end of the bush 30 so that a longer length of wire will be cut off. If a shorter length of wire is required, the bush and knife are moved inwardly i.e. to the right in FIG. 3. The knife is secured in adjusted position by a bolt 9b. The feed of the staple is also simplified and there is therefore less risk of it being misaligned during feeding as sometimes happens in previously known machines, particularly when small staples are used.

According to the embodiment illustrated FIGURES 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings instead of the grippers being carried by the tool slide they are mounted on a separately reciprocated slide. As shown a body member 1a is formed with an axial slot 2a which serves as a guideway for a slide 14a which is slotted to form a guide for the staple driver 3a having a driver blade 31). The inner end of the driver is secured to a clamp 4a having a lug 50 connectible to an actuating rod such as the rod 15 of FIG. 1 which is actuated by lever and cam means similar to the lever 5 and 28 of FIG. 1.

The forward end of the body 1a is provided with laterally spaced plates 6a, 7a defining a slot or opening 8a aligned with the guideway 2a. The plates form abutments against which a strip of wire is bent to form a staple.

A tool slide 9b is slidably mounted in a longitudinally extending recess 10a in the body 1a and at its forward end carries guide or cheek plates 11a, 12a between which a tuft of bristles and a staple for securing them in a brush stock, are adapted to be fed by the driver blade. The slide 912 is adapted to be reciprocated in the recess 10a by an actuating rod (not shown) and connectible with a lug 13a the actuating rod being operated by cam or like means in the brush making machine, similar to the lever 15b and cam 15d of FIG. 1.

A gripper slide 14a is reciprocately mounted in the longitudinal recess 2a in the upper portion of the body la and a member 14b is pivoted to this slide at 16a. The member 14b is provided with a roller 17a engageable in a guideway 18a in a member 19a which has a lug 20a connectible to an actuating rod similar to the rod of FIG. 1 which is adapted to be raised and lowered by a cam similar to cam 28 of FIG. 1.

At its forward end the member 14b has a fixed wire strip gripping jaw 21a and a pivoted jaw 22a the latter being normally biased by a spring 23a towards the jaw 21a to grip a strip of wire a fed through a bush 30a from a supply reel.

The slide 14a is provided with a lug 25a connected to an actuating rod or lever (not shown) which is operable by means in the brush making machine to impart a reciprocating movement to the slide.

In FIGURE 4 of the drawings the slides and associated parts are in their rearward position which they will assume at the start of a tuft inserting operation. A tuft of bristles t has been inserted by a picker 1% from a magazine 101 containing a supply of bristles T, the tuft being positioned in the gap between the rear end of the tool slide and the forward end of the plates 6a and 7a. A staple has been formed in the slot 8 and retained in the recesses 8a As the driver blade 3b is driven forwardly it will feed the staple .to engage the tuft of bristles t and drive the staple and tuft through the channel defined by the cheek plates 11a, 12a and into the brush stock.

The operation of the picker for feeding tufts of bristles is well-known in the art and further description is not necessary for the understanding of the present invention.

When the insertion of a tuft has been completed the driver blade moves on its return stroke and is withdrawn from the plates 11a, 12a into its guideway in the slide 1411 the tool slide being also reciprocated rearwardly until it is again in the position indicated in FIGURE 4. It will be understood that the driver blade and tool slide will be reciprocated in timed sequence and at different rates to effect these movements.

When the gripper slide 1411 is in its rearmost position (FIGURE 4) the pivoted jaw 22a is engaged by the stop 26a on the member 19a such that the jaw is pivoted to move its lower end away from the fixed jaw 21a. And as shown the free end of a continuous strip of wire a has been fed between the jaws. The gripper slide 14a is reciprocated in a forward direction as the driver blade moves on its forward stroke and during the initial part of this stroke the jaw 22a leaves the stop 26a to permit the jaw to be moved by the spring 23a towards the fixed jaw so as to grip the inserted strip of wire which is cut off from the supply roller by a cutter 27a so as to leave a portion of wire strip between the jaws of the correct length for forming a staple.

The gripper slide is moved forwardly from its normal position spaced inwardly of the open end of the guideway 2a to a position spaced forwardly thereof. The driver blade and tool slide are moved rearwardly in. timed sequence but at different speeds such that when the driver blade enters its guideway on the return stroke, a space will be left between the rear end of the plates 11a, 12a and the forward end of the plates 6a, 7a. During this part of the return movement the gripper member 14b which will have been moved forwardly over this space, is pivoted downwardly by actuating the rod connected with the lug 2% such that the gripper jaws will be positioned in the path of movement of the driver blade as indicated in FIGURE 6. When in this position the strip of wire held by the grippers, will be disposed transversely of the guideway with the opposite ends extending laterally of the slot 8 defined by the abutment plates 6a, 7a.

The gripper slide is then reciprocated rearwardly to move the jaws into the slot 8 so that the opposed ends of the strip which extend laterally of the jaws, will be drawn against the plates 6a, 7a and the strip will be bent to form a U-shaped staple.

Towards the end of the rearward stroke of the gripper slide the pivoted jaw 22a will re-engage the stop 26a and be pivoted into open position to release the staple and the member 19a is then moved upwardly to lift the jaws out of the slot 8 leaving the formed staple in the slot 8 at the entrance of the guideway 2a wherein it is retained in the recesses 8a. The formed staple is accordingly positioned in the path of the driver blade. When the rearward movement of the gripper slide is completed the parts are in the position indicated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings ready for the feeding in of another length of wire strip for forming the next staple.

It Will be understood that in the initial setting up of the machine, no staple will have been prepared and accordingly the driver blade and tool slide will make an idle stroke. During the rearward movement of these parts, however, the gripper slide will be reciprocated as described above, to form a staple and position it in the slot 8 in the path of the driver blade such that on the next forward stroke of the latter, the formed staple will be fed by the blade to anchor a tuft of bristles in a hole in the brush stock and the cycle of operations repeated.

An important advantage of the invention is that the feeding of the wire and forming and feeding of the staple is visible and any irregularities can be observed and the necessary action taken; further it is easier to make adjustments for different lengths of Wire as hereinbefore described. The feed of the staple is also simplified and there is therefore less risk of it being misaligned during feeding as sometimes happens in previously known machines, particularly when small staples are used.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings is particularly advantageous where a relatively long interval of time is required for feeding in the wire strip, for example, where a large staple is required necessitating the feeding in of relatively long portion of the wire strip. By mounting the grippers on a separate slide it is possible to arrange that this slide remains stationary for a sufficiently long period of time for the feeding in of the wire strip. For example, the gripper slide can be arranged to remain stationary in wire feeding position during the time taken by the driver blade to move through the final stages of its rearward stroke and the initial stages of the next forward stroke.

I claim:

1. In a brush making machine, the combination of means for forming and driving a staple to secure a tuft of bristle in a brush stock comprising a reciprocably mounted staple driver, a reciprocably mounted tool slide for guiding said staple into said brush stock to secure a tuft of bristles, gripper jaws movably mounted on said tool slide, means for reciprocating said tool slide and gripper jaws in a path parallel to the path of reciprocation of said driver, means for guiding a staple forming strip of wire to said jaws, laterally spaced abutments disposed adjacent the path of reciprocation of said driver, means operable at the start of the forward stroke of said tool slide to effect the closure of said jaws to grip the said strip of wire, means operable at the end of said forward stroke of said tool slide to move said jaws to position the strip of wire gripped thereby in alignment with said driver transversely of said abutments so as to be drawn against said abutments and bent into the form of a staple on the rearward stroke of said tool slide, and means operable at the end of the rearward stroke of said tool slide to open said jaws to release said staple at a point in g the path of said driver so as to be driven forwardly by said driver on the next forward stroke of said driver.

2. A brush making machine according to claim 1 where said gripper jaws are pivotally mounted on said tool slide, cam operated means being provided whereby said jaws are pivoted at the end of said forward stroke to position said strip of wire transversely of said abutments.

3. In a brush making machine, the combination of means for forming and driving a staple to secure a tuft of bristles in a brush stock comprising a reciprocably mounted staple driver, gripper jaws mounted for reciprocating movement in a path parallel to the path of reciprocation of said driver, means for guiding a staple forming strip of wire to said jaws, laterally spaced abutments adjacent the path of reciprocation of said driver, means operable at the start of the forward stroke of said jaws to actuate them into closed position to grip said strip of wire, means operable at the end of said forward stroke of said jaws to move said jaws to position the strip of wire gripped thereby in alignment with said driver transversely of said abutments so as to be drawn against said abutments and bent into the form of a staple on the rearward stroke of said jaws, means operable at the end of the rearward stroke of said jaws to open said jaws to release said staple at a point in the path of said driver so as to be driven forwardly by said driver on the next forward stroke of said driver.

4. In a brush making machine, the combination of means for forming and driving a staple to secure a tuft of bristles in a brush stock comprising a reciprocably mounted staple driver, pivotally mounted gripper jaws, means for effecting reciprocating movement of said gripper jaws in a path parallel to the path of reciprocation of said driver, means for guiding a staple forming strip of wire to said jaws, laterally spaced abutments adjacent the path of reciprocation of said driver, means operable at the start of the forward stroke of said jaws to close said jaws to grip said strip of wire, means operable at the end of said forward stroke of said jaws to pivot said jaws to position the strip of wire gripped thereby in alignment with said driver transversely of said abutments so as to be drawn against said abutments and bent into the form of a staple on the rearward stroke of said jaws, means operable at the end of the rearward stroke of said jaws to open said jaws to release said staple at a point in the path of said driver so as to be driven forwardly by said driver on the next forward stroke of said driver.

5. In a brush making machine, the combination of means for forming and driving a staple to secure a tuft of bristles in a brush stock comprising a reciprocably mounted staple driver, a reciprocably mounted tool slide for guiding said staple into said brush stock to secure a tuft of bristles, a further reciprocably mounted slide, gripper jaws movably mounted on said further slide, means for effecting the movement of said further slide in a path parallel to the path of reciprocation of said driver and said tool slide, means for guiding a staple forming strip of wire to said jaws, laterally spaced abutments adjacent the path of reciprocation of said driver, means operable at the start of the forward stroke of said further slide to close said jaws to grip said strip of Wire, means operable at the end of said forward stroke of said further slide to move said jaws to position the strip of wire gripped thereby in alignment with said driver transversely of said abutments so as to be drawn against said abutments and bent into the form of a staple on the rearward stroke of said further slide, means operable at the end of the rearward stroke of said further slide to open said jaws to release said staple at a point in the path of said driver so as to be driven forwardly by said driver on the next forward stroke of said driver.

6. A brush making machine according to claim 5 wherein said gripper jaws are pivotally mounted on said further slide and cam means is provided such that said jaws are pivoted at the end of said forward stroke to position said strip of wire transversely of said abutments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,512,588 Fisher Oct. 21, 1924 

